June 12, 2008

The State Department “Office of Global Anti-Semitism” says the New Testament claim that the Jews had Christ crucified is “classical anti-Semitism”—a historic form of hate. It included as an “anti-Semitic incident” the case of a Polish priest who said Jews killed Christ.

Are you one of tens of millions of Christians who agree with Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ that Jewish leaders incited a Jewish mob and persuaded Pilate to have Christ crucified? The government now considers you “anti-Semitic.” You are part of a worldwide scourge the U.S., Canada, Australia, and 55 European nations are uniting to suppress.

In the many countries now ruled by hate laws, it is already a federal offense to repeat the claim of New Testament “hate literature” that the Jews had Christ crucified. The State Department’s equation of biblical Christianity with “hate” is an ominous indication. The Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith—architect of hate laws worldwide (and primary ideological and statistics-gathering force behind the Office of Global Anti-Semitism)—is moving rapidly to create bias against Christians as haters, particularly of Jews and homosexuals.

Despite passionate support of Israel by evangelicals, the ADL claims Christianity is inherently anti-Semitic. The ADL says the New Testament is the seedbed of suspicion and blame against Jews leading to the Holocaust of World War II. Televangelist John Hagee, recipient of numerous Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith awards, upholds ADL propaganda.

He preaches that Jews did not reject or kill Christ, do not have to accept Him, and that New Testament Christianity is a primary source of anti-Semitism throughout the ages.

As Jewish-dominated media increasingly persuades the public and government to agree with this stereotype, it will become easier to pass Christian-restricting hate crime laws. All who adhere to the Bible on homosexuality or Jewish complicity in Christ’s death could be subject to state-sponsored prosecution.

Bible believers aren’t the only ones at risk. The State Department report also says it is anti-Semitic to: Allege “intentionally or unintentionally” that the state of Israel persecutes Palestinians; criticize “intentionally or unintentionally” Zionism or Israel if such criticism leads to lowering of public opinion of Jews or the government, military, or people of Israel; publish cartoons depicting the Israeli government and military as similar to Nazis; diminish the 6 million figure of Holocaust dead in any amount; allege that Jews exert undue influence in Congress, the White House and the media; and/or allege that American Jews are equally loyal to Israel.

Congress unanimously created this office of thought crimes disinformation in 2004. Cast your vote to end its influence: call your senators and representative toll-free at 1-877-851-6437. Tell them: “Please revoke funding for the State Department’s Office of Global Anti-Semitism. It does not represent scholarly research but the anti-Christian biases of the Anti-Defamation League.”

The Rev. Ted Pike is is director of the National Prayer Network, a Christian/conservative watchdog organization.. He can be reached at 503-631-3808, emailed at www.truthtellers.org, or contacted by mail at National Prayer Network, P.O. Box 828, Clackamas, OR 97015.